Folding carrier device



Aug. 16, 1960 R. G. STROHMAIER 2,949,314

FOLDING CARRIER DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed May 12, 1958 Flt/MRO a. smw/MA/Ha INVENTOR. WHA/WV 8 McMAN/GAL Af/omeys for Anal/2'01" Aug. 16, 1960 Filed May 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 6 y 4a 22 3b [PM/MRO 6. S TROI-IMA/Z'R,

' INVEN TOR.

WHANN a McMA/V/G'AL Af/arneys for fl l/ran/ United States I Patent O FOLDING CARRIER DEVICE Richard G. Strohmaier, 911'7- Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, Calif.

Filed May 12, 1958, Ser. No. 734,609

2 Claims. (Cl. 280-36) This invention relates generally to hand carts for moving various relatively heavy articles about, and relates more particularly to folding carts such as shown in applicants Patent No. 2,809,047, for Folding Carrier Device, issued October 8, 1957.

Devices of this character are adapted to be unfolded to provide a horizontal platform or frame when certain types of radio or television sets or the like are to be handled and moved about. When other types of television sets, radio sets, or the like, are to be handled the device is folded, there being a supporting blade at the lower end of the device upon which the rear edge portion of the set being moved rests.

When using the device in the folded condition, and in order to prevent the set from pressing against the wheels of the device, it is necessary to provide upstanding means at the rear of the blade which will hold the set in the desired position. However, difliculty is then encountered in effecting unfolding and folding of the parts of the device and it is an object of the present invention to provide, in a hand cart of this character, blade means which will support a set to be handled without the set engaging the wheels of the hand cart.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having means whereby folding and unfolding may be readily effected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is relatively simple and sturdy in construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is effective and reliable in operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufliciently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying draw-- ings which represent one embodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed and I contemplate the employment of any structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a hand cart embodying the present invention and in the folded position;

Fig. 2 is a front view of said device;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing an alternative arrangement; and

Fig. 7 is a side view of the device in the unfolded position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the de- Vice is shown as comprising a main frame, indicated generally at 10 having a pair of parallel tubular side members 11, there being a cross member 12 of tubular material adjacent the lower end of the frame and interconnecting said members 11. Adjacent the top of the members 11 is a second cross member 13 which may be of any suitable shape but is shown as a piece of bar material. It is to be noted that the member 11 may be also of bar material of any other suitable material, said parts 12 and 13 being for reinforcing purposes. The upper ends of the members 11 carry a handle of generally U-shape which is also formed of tubular material. The handle comprises a transverse member 14 which closes the U and parallel arms 15 which are spaced apart the same distance as the spacing of the members 11, said handle curving rearwardly at the upper end. The handle is connected to the members 11 by means of collars 16 which are provided with a pair of screws 17 and 18. The lower portion of each collar is received on the upper end of the respective members 11 and the collars are secured thereto by means of the screws 17. The free end portions of the arms 15 of the handle are received in the upper portions of the collars 16 and are secured 'therein by means of the screws 18.

Adjacent the lower ends of the frame members 11 are plates in which are secured to said members 11 by any suitable means such as welding, or the like, and which extend forwardly of said members. Aligned holes 20a are provided in said plates for reception of a shaft 21 having end portions which project outwardly of said plates and on which are operably secured wheels 22 whereby the device may be rolled from place to place.

On the front side of each member 11 is a guide 23 formed on an angle iron. Each guide is provided with an end portion at each end which is turned toward the respective member 1-1 and secured thereto by means of welding or other suitable means. Thus is formed a channel facing inwardly with respect to the frame 10,

one side 25 of the channel being spaced forwardly of the respective members 11 and forming the front wall of the channel. The other side 26 of the angle member forms the outer wall of the channel and the member 11 forms the rear. The guides extend from a point adjacent the upper ends of the members 11 to a point adjacent the lower ends and the sides 26 are provided with longitudinally spaced openings 27. Respective openings in the sides 26 are aligned for reception of a bar 29 which extends across the frame Ill. The bar has outwardly extending end portions and is secured in position by a cotter pin 3'1 at one end and secured at said other end by a lever 31a pivoted in a slot by means of a pivot pin 31b adjacent one end of said leve A weight supporting frame, which may be termed the platform, is indicated generally at 35 and comprises a transverse tubular member 36 having the ends thereof received in the respective channels provided by said guides so that said ends are slidable in said channels. A

generally U-shaped member, including a forward trans-' of the parts 39. The members 40 may be secured to the respective parts of the U-shaped member by welding or other suitable means. On top of the end portions 39 is a transverse member 42 which is secured to the ends 39 by welding or other suitable means. It is to be noted that the transverse member 42 does not extend into said channels but serves as a stopto limit rearward movement of articles placed on the platform 35.

There are a pair of forwardly extending legs, each leg being formed of tubular material, or any other suitable material,. and includesalmain portion 46 terminating at the forward end in a 'rearwardly turned end portion 47 when the device is folded but extending downwardly when the device is unfolded. The ends of the legs may be provided with a rubber tip 48 of well-known type, said tip having a socket in which the lower free end of the part 47 is received. The opposite end of the main portion 46 of each leg is provided with a transversely extending bearing 4-9 in which adjacent portions of the transverse member 36 is rotatably received.

A U-shaped platform support or bracing frame is provided and includes side arms 51, spaced apart in parallel relationship relative to each other, and a front transverse part 52 connecting the arms 51 together. The arms 51 are pivotally connected, intermediate the ends thereof, to the portions 46 of the legs by means of bolts 53. The free end of each arm 51 is secured to the members 21 by means of bolts, not shown, welding, or any other suitable means.

When the device is unfolded the platform or frame 35' is positioned horizontally and is supported at the forward end by the transverse portion 52 of the frame 50, the members 49 resting on said portion 52. At the rear the platform is supported by the adjusting rod 29 which may be located in any desired aligned set of holes in the sides 26 to thereby position the platform in vertically adjusted positions.

To fold the device, the member 42 or member 36 may be grasped and pulled upwardly in the channels 24, it being noted that the member 36 is also rotatable in said channels as well as slidable therein. Upward movement of the member 36 in the channels causes the legs to be drawn toward the main frame lit and the supporting frame 50 to be pivotally swung upwardly.

Should it be decided to use the device in the folded position, a blade arrangement indicated generally at 65 is provided. This blade arrangement includes a generally horizontal, forwardly projecting blade 66, extending across the front portion of the device for insertion under and lifting up of articles such as crates, television or radio cabinets, or the like. In order to prevent an object on the blade member 66 contacting the wheels, an upstanding member 67 is provided along the rear edge of the blade member 66 and which is substantially normal to the plane of said member 66 and substantially coextensive therewith. The upstanding member 67 is secured to the forward ends of the plates by welding 68, or the like, so that the blade arrangement is permanently connected to said plates. As the upright blade member 67 is in the path of movement of the end portions 47 of the legs and the rubber tips -48 thereon, the upright blade member 67 is provided with notches 70 extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof, the enlarged portions71 of said notches being at the bottom. These notches permit the lower leg portions and the rubber tips 4-8 to pass therethrough from one side of the upright blade member 67 to the other so that the device may be folded and unfolded without interference from the blade arrangement.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a cabinet 75 of a television set, or the like, resting on the blade member 66 and supported thereby, and held in position at the upper end by means of a belt 76.

In Fig. there is shown an alternative blade arrange-' ment wherein the blade also comprises an angle iron shape. 'l-loweven in this arrangement the blade is detachable from. the plate 20. Screws 78 are received in openings as provided'therefor in outwardly turned upright flanges 79 of the plates 20, and are screwed into tapped openings provided therefor in the outer end portions of the upright blade member 67. By removing the screws 78, the blade arrangement 65 may be removed.

4 In this arrangement the upright member 67 of the blade is also provided with the notches 70, so that the lower free end portions 47 of the legs and the rubber tips 48 may pass therethrough when the device is folded or unfolded.

it is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is thought that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the embodiments hereinbefore described being merely by way of example.

I claim:

1. A folding structure of the class described compris ing: a main frame comprising a relatively long frame structure having longitudinally extending side members and a handle adjacent the upper end; a shaft; means securing said shaft to said frame structure adjacent the lower end thereof; wheels operably'rnounted on said shaft; substantially vertical guides attached to the sides of the frame structure at the lower end thereof; an article supporting frame having a member slidably and rotatably mounted in said guides and movable between an upper and a lower position; a pair of legs, each leg being pivoted on said member of the article supporting frame; a bracing frame; means pivotally securing one end of the bracing frame on said shaft so that said bracing frame may swing on the axis of said shaft; means pivotally connecting said bracing frame to the legs, intermediate the ends of the latter, said bracing frame being positioned to support the free end of the article supporting frame when said member of the article supporting frame is in its lower position, the legs then supporting said bracing frame; the main frame, legs, article supporting frame and bracing frame being moved into the folded position when said member of the article supporting frame is moved to the upper position thereof; a plate for each side member of the main frame secured to the lower end portions of said side members and extending forwardly thereof and having their forward free ends in a plane forwardly of the forwardmost parts of the wheels; and a blade device extending transversely of the structure and including a generally horizontal blade member, and a stop member extending upwardly along the rear edge of said blade member, said stop member being secured adjacent the ends thereof to the forward ends of the respective plates, said stop member being in the path of movement of the lower end portions of the legs, there being notches extending downwardly of the upper end of the'stop member in the path of movement of said lower end portions of the legs to provide openings through which said lower portions of the legs may pass when. being moved between the folded and the unfolded positions.

2. A folding carrier device, comprising: a main frame comprising a relatively long frame structure having longitudinally extending side members and a handle adjacent the upper end; a shaft; wheels operably mounted at the lower ends of said side members; an article supporting frame operably mounted to said frame structure and movable between an upper and a lower position; a pair 'of legs operably attached to said article supporting frame;

a bracing frame operably secured to said frame structure; means pivotally connecting said bracing frame to the legs, said bracingframe being positioned to support the free end of the article supporting frame when said article supporting frame is in its unfolded position, the legs then supporting said bracing frame; the main frame, legs, article supporting frame and bracing frame being movable into the folded position; a plate for each side member of the main frame secured to the lower end portions of said side members and extending forwardly thereof and having their forward free ends in a plane forwardly of the for- .wardmost-parts of the wheels; and a blade device extendprovide openings through which said lower portions of the legs may pass when being moved between the folded and the unfolded positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hamrick Mar. 5, 1957 Strohmaier Oct. 8, 1957 i 

